OLDS, Alta. – When agriculture students visit Bob Wood’s certified seed farm, they’re put to work inspecting equipment, testing grain samples and answering questions from an experienced farmer.
Wood, who farms north of Olds, is one of several pedigreed seed growers who welcomes grain and seed technology students from Olds College to his farm to gather grain handling experience.
Wood grows pedigreed barley and some wheat. In addition he operates his own cleaning and treatment unit so he can sell seed directly to farmers.
Instructor Joel Gingrich and Wood walk the students through procedures on the farm.
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To keep the class on its toes, machinery may be set up to handle grain incorrectly and students have to diagnose and correct the problem. Wood also keeps some worn out equipment to show students examples of breakage.
Handling spills
He shows them how to safely draw samples from running machinery and how to handle accidental grain spills. If grain is spilled, it is dumped in the screenings bin. It might contain a few stray wheat or weed seeds that would end up in someone’s certified seed.
The students visit other farms where peas or canola are grown so they learn how to handle them as well, said Gingrich.
Twenty students are expected to graduate April 25 and head to jobs in grain elevators, seed companies, fertilizer and chemical dealerships, independent grain buyers and pedigreed seed farms.
It’s the third graduating class and the college receives three job offers for every student in the course, said Gingrich.
On the curriculum
During class time, the students are taught communication skills, crop diseases, plant physiology, grain elevator management and handling, grain inspection and grading, as well as handling special crops and soil analysis.
The diploma course can be transferred to the University of Lethbridge for two more years of study. The students are then awarded agricultural-related degrees.
The course material is overseen by an advisory committee of industry members.
“The message that keeps coming back (from students) is that they have some specialized knowledge and a general base of knowledge so they can talk to the farmers,” said Gingrich.
Most students are from the Prairies and their average age is 25. The experience among applicants varies from those who know nothing about the seed trade to those who are upgrading their skills.
“We have two farmers in the group and they are experienced in this area. They’re looking at the diploma for some off farm income,” said Gingrich.
